Pentecost 8 – Series A July 27 & 30, 2017

DIVINE GRACE EV. LUTHERAN CHURCH SCHOOL PRESCHOOL

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod 3000 S. Lapeer Road Orion, MI 48359-1317

(248) 391-1131 www.divinegrace.net

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Welcome to Divine Grace Lutheran Church

Welcome to worship! May God fill your heart with his Holy Spirit and bless your hour of worship. May you find in Jesus the eternal peace, joy and comfort for which your soul longs. If you are a visitor, please sign the Guest Register in the entryway of the church with your complete name and address. Be sure to visit us again!

Theme: God uses his Word to create and sustain saving faith in our hearts. Let us listen to it eagerly!

Liturgy: Thursday Evening Prayer, p. 52 Sunday Morning Praise, p. 45

Psalm 65, page 89 in the hymnal

The earth is full of the good-ness of God, the good-ness of our God.

Praise awaits 'you, O God,* you call forth 'songs of joy.

You care for the land and 'water it;* you soften it with showers and 'bless its crops.

The streams of God are filled with 'water* to provide the peo'ple with grain.

The earth is full of the good-ness of God, the good-ness of our God.

You crown the year with your 'bounty,* and your carts overflow with a'bundance.

The grasslands of the desert 'overflow;* the hills are clothed with 'gladness.

The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are man'tled with grain;* they shout for 'joy and sing.

Glory be to the Father and 'to the Son* and to the Holy 'Spirit, as it was in the be'ginning,* is now, and will be forever. 'Amen.

The earth is full of the good-ness of God, the good-ness of our God.

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Scripture Lesson: Isaiah 55:10-13 Just as the snow waters the earth so that it brings forth bread for today and seed for another season, so God's Word always brings the results he desires.

10Just as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and do not return there unless they

water the earth, make it give birth, and cause it to sprout, and it gives seed to the sower and

bread to the eater, 11so it will be with my Word that goes forth from my mouth. It will not

return to me empty. Rather, it will accomplish whatever I please, and it will succeed in the

purpose for which I sent it.

Hymn of the Day Speak, O Savior; I Am Listening | CW 283 Sermon Text: Matthew 13:1-9,18-23 1That same day Jesus left the house and was sitting by the sea. 2A large crowd gathered

around him. So he stepped into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore. 3He told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen, a sower went out to sow. 4As he

sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it. 5Other seed fell on rocky

ground, where it did not have much soil. Immediately the seed sprang up, because the soil

was not deep. 6But when the sun rose, the seed was scorched. Because it had no root, it

withered away. 7Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked it. 8But some

seed fell on good ground and produced grain: some one hundred times, some sixty, and

some thirty times more than was sown. 9Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear. 18“So listen carefully to the parable of the sower. 19When anyone hears the word of the

kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what has been

sown in his heart. This is the seed that was sown along the path. 20The seed that was sown

on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21yet he is not deeply rooted and does not endure. When trouble or persecution comes

because of the word, he immediately falls away. 22The seed that was sown among the thorns

is the one who hears the word, but the worry of this world and the deceitfulness of wealth

choke the word, and it produces no fruit. 23But the seed that was sown on the good ground

is the one who continues to hear and understand the word. Indeed he continues to produce

fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times more than was sown.”

All scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage VersionTM (EHVTM) copyright © 2016 The Wartburg Project. All rights reserved. www.wartburgproject.org

Sermon (Matthew 13:1-9,18-23):

Is Your Heart Like Good Soil?

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Here are the Scripture lessons for next week.

Feel free to look them up and start giving them some thought as you prepare yourself for worship.

Isaiah 55:10-13, Matthew 13:1-9,18-23

Offering Our congregation’s members willingly give offerings to support the Lord’s work here and around the world out of their love for Christ. If you are a guest or visitor today, please do not feel obligated to give an offering. Closing Hymn On What Has Now Been Sown | CW 322

+ + + We thank our Service Participants: Preacher: Pastor Mark Voss Organist: Mrs. Marie Sazy Thursday Usher: S. Kerlin Sunday Ushers: 8:00 am – D. Schreiner, L. Buss, D. Bessolo

10:45 am – A. Rose, N. Miller, S. Eich, T. Hunn

AT A GLANCE…

Voters Meeting & WSC Kitchen Cleaning- Sun, July 30, Noon

School Work Day- Saturday, August 6 at 9:00 am

School Registration Packets Due Sunday, August 7

Our Week with the Savior: July 30- August 6 This Sunday

8:00 & 10:45 am 9:30 am

12:00 pm 12:00 pm

Worship Services Adult Bible Class Voters Meeting WSC Kitchen Cleaning

Tuesday 7:00 pm Congregation Care Committee Meeting Thursday 7:00 pm Worship Service with the Lord’s Supper

Scrip Orders Due Friday 5-9 pm Big Rig Gig Saturday 9:00 am School Work Day Next Sunday

8:00 & 10:45 am 9:30 am

Worship Services with the Lord’s Supper NO Adult Bible Class – Pastor out of town K-8 Registration Packets Due

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Parish News… Altar Flowers: If you would like to donate flowers for the altar, you may sign up on the chart on the Fellowship Hall bulletin board. You may choose an open Sunday and fill in the event that you are commemorating (if you wish). Please pay $32 per line for each bouquet. Make checks out to “Divine Grace” and place into the Pentis church mailbox. You may take your flowers home after the 10:45 service on the Sunday you have signed up for. Thank you!

Quarterly Voters Meeting: The voters of the congregation will meet after second service on Sunday, July 30th. All voters are asked to be present, starting at 12:00 noon.

Women Serving Christ is planning on cleaning the kitchen on July 30th following the late service. All women of the congregation are invited to participate. We welcome the help!

NO Adult Bible Class on Sunday, August 6: There will not be Adult Bible Class on August 6th because Pastor Voss will be out of town. Class will resume August 13th.

School Work Day is Saturday, August 5th, 9:00 – noon. All members, especially school families, are encouraged to attend. We will post a list of inside and outside cleaning chores to be done that day. If you can’t make it, you are welcome to check the list posted on the office window and complete some chores on your own time. Thanks!

School Families: All registration paperwork needs to be turned in to the school office by Sunday, August 6th. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the school at 248-391-2811 or e-mail office@divinegrace.net. Thank you!

Sign Up for Extra Curricular Activities: Sign-Up Sheets are located outside the school office. Students may sign up at any time. Adults, if you are interested in coaching a sport for the upcoming school year, please sign up also. Thank you!

Sunday School: Eric Nordlie, our Board of Parish Services Chairman, is currently looking for individuals who would be interested in serving as Sunday School teachers starting on September 10. He will be contacting our staff from last year to see who would like to continue to serve. Those who didn't teach last year but would like an opportunity to teach (or team-teach on a rotating basis) or to be a classroom helper, please sign up and speak with Eric or with Pastor Voss for more details.

Campout Worship Service: All are invited to join us for the 4:00 pm worship service at the Campout on Saturday, August 12th. This year we will be having a Taco Bar. Please sign up in the Fellowship Hall and indicate what items you will be bringing. (Remember to bring your place settings.) Pay the day-use fee (Oakland County resident discount rate $5 per car per day OR regular rate $10 per car per day) and find us in group area #1 at Groveland Oaks County Park, 14555 Dixie Highway, Holly, MI 48442. Hope to see you there! By the way, there is still room to sign up to camp Friday, August 11th through Sunday the 13th! Please sign up by the display boards if you plan to attend! Any questions contact Michelle White. Thanks!

Scrip Order is due on Thursday, August 3. If you would like to order gift cards, please fill out the form located in the school lobby, and place the order form with your check in the box in the school office. Thank you for supporting our church and school!

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Mom2Mom Sale – Saturday, August 19: Please sign up to help with setting up, taking down, manning the ticket table, etc. This is an excellent opportunity to open our facility to the community. The Mom2Mom sale will be held on Saturday, August 19, from 9:00-1:00. If you are interested in having a table, please pick up a contract from the credenza or the WSC bulletin board and return it with payment by August 12. Early Bird Pre-Sale 8:30 am – $2 entry; Sale hours 9 am to 1 pm – $1 entry; 12 and under – FREE! There are advertising flyers in the church entryway for you to share. For more information, please contact Kirsten Ostermann at kostermann34@gmail.com or 989-928-0857.

Property and Maintenance: Financing has been secured to complete the school roof replacement and the patching of the asphalt. The roof is currently scheduled to be replaced when school is not in session next summer. If you would like to help offset the cost, please use the Debt Reduction envelopes or designate your gifts to the Debt Reduction fund. Courtyard Landscape will be working on the drain repair during the month of August 2017. Please beware that the parking lots, driveway between the front and rear lots, and the sidewalks will be removed and replaced or repaired. Bowen Asphalt will be repairing the parking lots shortly after the drain work is complete. Please exercise caution in and around the facility during this period of time. If you are in need of landscaping work, please contact our member and brother in Christ, Ben Reinhold at Courtyard Stone & Landscaping (courtyardstone.com; (248) 309-3136). If you are in need of asphalt repair or service, please contact our member and brother in Christ, Dustin Pyscher at Bowen Paving (bowenpaving.com; (248) 332-4956).

Gas-Powered Edger Needed: The properties committee is looking for someone who owns a gas-powered edger that would be able to edge the church parking lot prior to August 14. Please speak with Kevin Krueger if you are able to help. Thank you!

Opportunities to Serve: Volunteers are needed for Altar Guild setup and cleanup for communion Sundays and Thursdays during the summer, church cleaning, and snacks for Sunday fellowship time between services. Please go to the Fellowship Hall bulletin board and see where you can help out. Thanks!

Creation Museum and Ark Encounter Group Trip: Anyone interested in planning a group trip from Divine Grace? This would be a two day and two night trip and I thought it may be possible to plan this for October 5-7 when there is a brief school break. The cost for tickets to go to both attractions is $60/adult, $34/child 5-12 and children under 5 are free. If we plan the trip as a group we may purchase the tickets in advance at a reduced rate. Please sign up on the bulletin board in the fellowship hall if you are interested and your preference to the options provided. Thank you, Deb Sak

Big Rig Gig: Big kids, little kids, and kids at heart, load up the family for an unforgettable experience at Friendship Park from 5-9 pm on Friday, August 4th. Experience dozens of trucks, tractors, diggers, dozers, buckets, and back-loaders first hand. Forget about dinner, concessions will be available for purchase. Divine Grace Preschool/Kindergarten will have a display there, so be sure to check it out! Cost is $5 per vehicle.

Martin Luther College magazines are available on the church entryway credenza.

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Did you know?

Rather than relying on volunteers, we contracted JC Burmey to mow the church lawn. Each week the front lawn is mowed at a cost of $50.00, and every other week the play area in back is mowed for an additional $25.00. Fertilizer for the year is $300, with volunteer application. If you would like to help offset the cost of lawn care, please consider a gift to the Lawn Mowing Fund.

Meditations: New Meditations devotion booklets are now available. Daily devotions in this issue begin with Sunday, August 27th. Pick up a copy from the credenza as you leave service today.

Attendance: Thursday 7/20 7:00 pm Worship: 20 Communion: --

Sunday 7/23 8:00 am Worship: 43 10:45 am Worship: 97 Communion: -- Communion: -- Sunday Adult Bible Class: --

Library Corner Feature: Parenting Your Powerful Child. In this book, Dr. Kevin Leman offers a practical action plan to redirect your child’s power surges into positive traits that will prepare your child for a successful, happy and productive adult life. With these simple but effective techniques, you can transform your home from a daily battle zone to a safe and peaceful place. All it takes is a little determination – and some small changes on your part – to

make a huge difference in your family life. Reminder: All you need to do to check out a book from the church library is to fill out the card in the book and place the card in the pocket located on the inside of the library cabinet door.

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Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod www.wels.net

Pastor Mark Voss Cell Phone: (248) 462-1390 Email: mvoss@divinegrace.net Principal Jesse Nofftz Cell Phone: (608) 498-2105 Email: jnofftz@divinegrace.net

Preschool Director Barb Musinski Email: bmusinski@divinegrace.net

Divine Grace Worship Services – Sundays, 8:00 & 10:45 am Thursdays (Summer Schedule), 7:00 pm

Bible Class – Sundays, 9:30 am – Adult Bible Class Visit our website – divinegrace.net

facebook.com/divinegracelutheranchurch www.twitter.com/DivineGraceWELS

Email – office@divinegrace.net

Volunteers for Next Week:

7:00 pm Thursday Service 8/3: Usher: C. Doble Communion Setup – volunteer needed

8/5 Church Cleaning : Please see if there is a weekend you can sign up!

8/6 8:00 am Sunday Service: 8/6 10:45 am Sunday Service: Communion Setup – volunteer needed 8:00 Ushers–J. Merritt, P. Miela,

P. Merritt 10:45 Ushers– T. Lane, J. Backer,

E. Lane, M. Voss Communion Support – M. Krueger Communion Support – J. Teller Fellowship Snack – No Bible Class Communion Cleanup – Voss

Upcoming Birthdays:

7/28 Nicole Giroux 7/29 Andrew Kasischke, Casey Krueger 7/30 Caleb Krueger 8/1 Gerald Redman 8/5 Andrea Nietzke

8/8 Owen Ward 8/10 Russell Cobane, Bill Pagels 8/11 Tori Hunn 8/12 Ken Kemp 8/13 Ethan Doble , Annabel Koch